Algonquian word meaning “white shell bead.” Wampum are purple and white beads made from the Quohog and Whelk (different from the conch in that it is a meat-eater living in temperate waters). The rareness of the purple beads makes them more valuable. Beads were made from shells that were polished and strung together in strands, belts or sashes, and used by Native Americans as ornament in ceremonial pledges or as a medium of exchange.
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